Method and system for interactive toys

ABSTRACT

Toy design methods break down the desired behavior of an electro-mechanical toy into unique states represented with electronics and/or mechanical modeling. The toy will exist in such rest state until some external event acts to trigger a state change in one or more of the parts. Any event can be defined at an appropriate user, environmental, or sensory input to can act as a trigger for the toy to react with some predefined behavior. Each of several physical toy states can be uniquely represented with an electronic circuit register. A multi-bit register status at any one particular instant directly represents the entire state the toy is in, and is quick and simple to inspect and act on. State changes triggered by input stimuli cause a change in the register bits reflecting the changing conditions of the toy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to interactive toys, and in particular tomodels and control system architectures for defining, describing andcoding control programs for interactive toy behaviors.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Toys can be far more interesting to play with if they are able tointeract with children and adults. People and animals can react incomplex and myriad ways to compound stimuli. But basically, inputs areneeded that are processed, and outputs deliver the response. In aninteractive toy, the inputs can include touch sensors in the hands,feet, abdomen, and head of a doll or animal, temperature sensors,accelerometers, cameras, microphones, and voice recognition. The outputscan be speakers for speech synthesis, motors and actuators for limb,mouth, eye, and head movements, and memory. Translating the inputs intoappropriate outputs is complex and embraces the magic in making a toyfun and entertaining. True intelligence is not yet possible, but enoughof a show can be put on to make a young child believe they are playingwith a friend.

Mass produced products like toys are highly sensitive to componentcosts. So a practical devices and mechanisms for making a toyinteractive and fun would need to be very inexpensive to manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly, an embodiment of the present invention comprises a modularcontrol system architecture for interactive toys with multiple sensoryfunctions. Such integrates acceptance of a user input from sensors tocreate an appropriate response. In a doll, sensors in the arms, legs,and elsewhere are activated when a user grabs, touches, or speaks, andthe doll responds with different actions. For instance a wrestling dollable to sense and recognize the differences when it is subjected to abody slam, back flip, pile driver, etc. Different sensory inputs such asambient light, pressure, temperature, touch, speech, movement, positionare detected with specific sensory hardware and software. Here,particular sensory functions are registered as electronic, software, andmechanical states and transitions. The complete behavior and operationof the toy can be designed by modeling the sequence of states and statetransitions that are particularly triggered by internal or externalevents. The designed interaction with users is broken down into asequence of states. An input trigger causes a transition between statesin a set of predefined events. The generation of a trigger can resultfrom a user input, an environmental input, or a sensory input. Thevarious inputs are collected and interpreted by electronic andmechanical devices. The desired behavior or interaction of the toy isdescribable by a combination of states and state transitions triggeredby some event or events. The intended behavior is parsed into severalstates, inter-dependent or not, and into a set of actions or reactionsthat themselves can transition the toy from one state to the next. Thestates are defined according to the particular control system in use,the different sensory functions, and the actual electro-mechanicaldesign. A software language is used to represent toy behavior as severalstates.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will nodoubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after havingread the following detailed description of the preferred embodimentsthat are illustrated in the various drawing figures.

IN THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an electronic control unit forautomating a toy, in a toy control system embodiment of the presentinvention, and includes various user and environmental sensors, amicrocomputer with an interactive-play program, and speaker and motoroutputs;

FIG. 2 is a plan diagram for a flexible circuit layout which could beused to build the electronic control unit of FIG. 1, and shows that allthe electronic devices and circuitry are disposed on a single flexiblecircuit substrate having elongations for the limbs that put touchsensors out in the extremities;

FIG. 3 is a more detailed plan view of a flexible circuit layoutsuggesting how the components of the electronic control unit of FIGS. 1and 2 could be laid out for a doll embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded assembly view diagram showing how the flexiblecircuits of FIGS. 1-3 could be folded up and installed in the back torsoof a doll embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a behavior tree diagram that plots how each user andenvironmental input of a wrestling doll is to be interpreted and used totrigger an output that convinces the user the wrestling doll hassuffered and recognized a particular wrestling move or take-down theuser has just then applied, and such modeling of states and statetransitions is suggested here as being a useful design tool embodimentof the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An interactive toy changes its existing physical state or takes acertain action in the form of motion, light, speech, or sound uponreceiving a user or environmental input. Sensory inputs that impinge onthe toy include touch, light, sound, speech, motion, temperature etc. Amodular control system architecture integrates input sensors embedded invarious parts of a toy, and the toy concocts an interaction output forthe user based on the character of the inputs received.

FIG. 1 represents a toy control system embodiment of the presentinvention, and is referred to herein by the general reference numeral100. Toy control system 100 mounts inside a toy like a doll, plushanimal, board game, or puzzle, and comprises a programmablemicrocomputer 102 with an executable program inside. Inputs toprogrammable microcomputer 102 include a microphone 103, an ambientlight detector 104, a temperature sensor 106, touch sensors 108, apressure sensor 110, and an interactive-play program stored insideprogrammable microcomputer 102. A gyroscope or accelerometers 112provide balance and orientation information so the toy can sense if itis right-side up, spinning, leaning, laying down, etc. A speaker 114allows music, sound, and speech output from a voice synthesizer or soundgenerator, and a motor driver 116 is used to actuate motors in the limbsor head, for example. A motor feedback 118 provides information aboutposition and loading. Programmable microcomputer 102 includes algorithms120 that can be included in the interactive-play program.

Microphone 103, and all the other input and output devices, must be ableto perform their functions well enough to engage a child in play. At thesame time, such devices must be very inexpensive to manufacture in massproduction. In some toys, microphone 103 may be used for limited speechand user recognition, or simply to distinguish when the child makes“happy” sounds. So a very simple microphone and algorithm 120 will dothe job. The ambient light detector 104 can be simple enough to tellwhen room lighting or day light is present. Touch sensors 108 arecapacitive sensor types implemented on flex circuit substrates, andprovide information about what parts of the toy or game are beingtouched.

Co-pending patent application titled, PRESSURE AND TOUCH SENSORS ONFLEXIBLE SUBSTRATES FOR TOYS, by the present inventors, Ser. No.12/______, filed Jul. 6______2009, is incorporated herein by reference.It more fully describes the construction and operation of capacitivetouch and pressure sensors integrated with flexible circuit substrates.

In general, modular control system embodiments of the present inventioninclude multiple sensory functions on a flex substrate. These includeelectronic circuit hardware, algorithms and operating software useful intoy building blocks, action figures, cars, trucks, etc. Sensoryfunctions are associated with hardware and software, and sensory inputsare provided for light, temperature, touch, speech, movement, position,etc. In design, particular sensory functions are represented as moduleswith electronic, software, and mechanical descriptors. Embodiments ofthe present invention integrate a complete electronic system withsensors and power sources on one substrate.

FIG. 2 represents how a toy control system like that of FIG. 1 can belaid out on a single flex circuit 200 for a doll or plush animal withfour limbs. A panel 202 is provided for a doll's head, a panel 204 isprovided for the chest, and limb elongations 206, 208, 210, and 212, areprovided, respectively, for the right arm, left arm, right leg, and leftleg. These all share a single flex substrate to make manufacturing andinstallation within the toy simple and reliable. A sensor device 214,216, 218, and 220, are provided, respectively, for the right arm, leftarm, right leg, and left leg, and produce signals indicating therespective limb is being touched or not touched by the user. An ambientlight sensor 222 located in the doll's head detects if room light ispresent, or if the head has been covered, like in a wrestling sleeperhold. An acceleration sensor 224 in the head can provide measurements ofmovement, orientation, impacts, etc. A speaker 226 and audio outputcircuits are located in the head, e.g., at the mouth, and is used toproduce speech, synthesized sounds, and music, sometimes with apersonality or theme according to a program script included inalgorithms 120 (FIG. 1). A microphone 228 and audio input circuits arealso located in the head and provide an awareness for noise, speech, andother sounds. In a complex version, speech recognition is included toreceive word commands, and to recognize and acknowledge a particularuser. A microcomputer 230 is located on the chest panel 204 and providesfor reading the sensory inputs and producing action outputs according toan executing program within that provides interactive play with theuser. A chest pressure sensor 232 provides a signal indicating when thechest of the doll is being squeezed. A chest acceleration sensor 234provides an indication that the whole doll is being rotated, flipped,spun, laid down, stood up, etc. A set of batteries 236 provide operatingpower.

FIG. 3 represents a flex circuit 300 that was used in a prototype of toydoll embodiment of the present invention. Flex circuit 300 includedright and left arm capacitive sensor circuits 304 and 305. These were onelongations of circuit panel 306 which also provided for a power on/offswitch (not shown). Right and left leg capacitive sensor circuits 308and 309 were constructed as elongations of a main circuit panel 310.This attached to an audio circuit panel 312 having connections for aspeaker and microphone. A panel 314 provided for mounting support andattachment inside the toy doll. A stiffer was included on the back, anda protective encapsulating coating was applied over the whole.

FIG. 4 shows how a flex circuit and sensor electronics assembly 400 canbe mounted in the back torso 402 of a toy doll. A capacitive sensor andsupporting touch sensor integrated circuit devices for the arms and legsare provided on elongation pads 404-407. These, in turn are fitted neararm and leg sockets 408-411. A battery box 412 provides operating powerto flex circuit and sensor electronics assembly 400. An on/off switch(not shown) in switch pocket 414 connects to power switch pads 416. Amicrophone and speaker (not shown) can be connected to pads provided ona circuit panel 418. A main circuit panel 420 fits to the back ofbattery box 412, and provides for accelerometers, temperature sensors,touch sensor integrated circuit devices, and a microcontroller unit(MCU).

The behavior of an electro-mechanical toy or apparatus and itscharacteristic interaction with a user can be designed by breaking eachdown into sequences of constituent states. The inputs are collected andinterpreted by electronic and/or mechanical devices. Event triggers fromthe environment and/or the user are used in real-time to forcetransitions between these states.

Method embodiments of the present invention break down the desiredbehavior of an electro-mechanical toy or apparatus into unique statesrepresented with electronics and/or mechanical modeling. A toy is alwaysin one state or another at any given time. When nothing is happening,all the parts of the toy are considered to be in a rest state. The toywill exist in such rest state until some external event acts to triggera state change in one or more of the parts. Any event can be defined atan appropriate user, environmental, or sensory input to act as a triggerfor the toy to react with some predefined behavior. Each of severalphysical toy states can be uniquely represented with an electroniccircuit register. A multi-bit register status at any one particularinstant directly represents the entire state the toy is in, and is quickand simple to inspect and act on. State changes triggered by inputstimuli cause a change in the register bits reflecting the changingconditions of the toy.

Similarly, toy states can be mechanically represented with mechanicalcomponents, e.g., in a form of body language. A toy's physicalattributes, and the changes from one condition such as position of head,limbs, tail etc. to another can be represented by a set ofcharacteristics of the mechanical components and their changes, shapes,forms, junctions, connections, position, active, idle, etc. Hence, atoy's behavior in a particular state can be represented in terms of itsmechanical behavior as well as with the states of an electronic circuit.A change in state may be seen as a change in the mechanical as well theelectronic representation of a toy's state.

A state diagram is a type of diagram used in computer science andrelated fields to describe the behavior of systems. See,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_diagram. State diagrams try to definea system as a finite number of states. Often this is indeed possible,but at other times it can only be used for a reasonable abstraction.

There are many forms of conventional state diagrams, they differslightly and use different semantics. For example, a classic form ofstate diagram for a finite state machine is a Directed Graph havingstates Q (a finite set of vertices normally represented by circles andlabeled with unique designator symbols or words written inside them),input symbols Σ (a finite collection of input symbols or designators),and output symbols Z (a finite collection of output symbols ordesignators). An output function ω represents the mapping of inputsymbols into output symbols, denoted mathematically as, ω:Σ×Q→Z.

Edges δ represent the “transitions” between two states as caused by theinput, and are identified by their symbols drawn on the “edges”. An“edge” is usually drawn as an arrow directed from the present-statetoward the next-state. This mapping describes the state transitions thatare to occur on input of a particular symbol, mathematically, δ:Σ×Q→Z. Astart state q0εQ is usually represented by an arrow with no originpointing to the state. Sometimes the start state is not shown and isinferred. An accepting state F is for accepting automata, FεQ is theaccepting state. It is usually drawn as a double circle. Sometimes theaccept state function as final (halt, trapped) states.

For a deterministic finite state machine (DFA), nondeterministic finitestate machine (NFA), generalized nondeterministic finite state machine(GNFA), or Moore machine, the input is placed on each edge. For a MealyMachine, input and output are signified on each edge, separated with aslash “/”. A “1/0” shows the state change upon encountering the symbol“1” causing the symbol “0” to be output. For a Moore Machine the state'soutput is usually written inside the state's circle, also separated fromthe state's designator with a slash “/”. There are also variants thatcombine these two notations. For example, if a state has a number ofoutputs, e.g., “a=motor counter-clockwise=1, b=caution lightinactive=0”) the diagram should reflect, e.g., “q5/1,0” designates astate q5 with outputs a=1, b=0. Such designator is written inside thestate's circle. Harel statecharts and Unified Modeling Language (UML)state diagrams can also be usefully employed in embodiments of thepresent invention.

On receipt of user inputs by an electronic circuit or mechanical devicein the toy, the toy moves to a known next state, which was engineered tocreate a designed and scripted experience with the toy. Each state has aunique identification pattern depending on the current state and theprevious state. These states and the patterns are describable insoftware languages, such as C, C++, and others.

In embodiments of the present invention, each state is represented in aspecific manner related to the hardware, e.g., the physical positioningof different parts of the toy's body, limbs, head or other part. Fromthe user's perspective a description of the complete behavior oroperation scripts the full experience with toy.

An Appendix is included herein as an example of a state machine writtenin C-code for a prototype wrestling doll that provided good results.After initialization, state transitions are included for left and rightarms being grabbed, left and right legs being grabbed, combinations ofthese, helicopter moves, back-flips, body slams, pile driver moves, dogpile moves, sleeper moves, chest pressure, and touches to the lowerparts of the arms an/or legs. Responses to these inputs are audio plays,head lights on, etc.

Each state registered by an input sensor can be labeled as a variable ina software language. A transition between states, or a change in thevariable, occurs when an event causes the toy to change from one stateto another. The event can thus be registered in run-time software andused to position the toy in its next desired state. Two types ofregisters can be used to keep track of states and events, stateregisters and event registers.

The state registers represent each state of the toy with a binary bit ina register word. The event registers describe input events. An eventinput register flags any input action as either “1” or “0”. Afterprocessing of the input events, the output register bits can be setaccordingly. Setting the output register bits enables the responsiveact-ions designed for the toy.

As an example, when a toy is initially turned on, it positions itself inrest state, e.g., sitting at attention. The rest state is the startingpoint from which to originate any action. Each recognizable input eventtransitions the toy from the rest state to a next state. A reset commandwill initialize all the electronic circuits. If no input events have yetoccurred, all of the input event register bits will be “0”. A new inputevent will set corresponding bits in the input event register, and theprogramming will see this and put the toy in a next state in a sequence.As the toy transitions from one state to the next, it writescorresponding bits in the output event register that drive the toy'selectronic and electro-mechanical components to react. The toy seems tobehave in real time that was originally contrived originally by the toydesigner. An advanced toy can receive commands even while transitioningbetween states.

A state register's bits can be used to represent a toy's various stateswith 1/0, where “0” in inactive and “1” is active. For the Rest State,such state register bits would be all “0”, as in Table-I.

TABLE I register name LA RA LL RL HA CA CP HL register value 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 where, LA left arm touch sensor RA right arm touch sensor LL leftleg touch sensor RL right leg touch sensor HA head accelerometer CAchest accelerometer CP chest pressure sensor HL head light sensor

Table-II illustrates how such state register would change its bits inresponse to various exemplary inputs being triggered.

TABLE II register name LA RA LL RL HA CA CP HL register value 0 1 0 1 00 0 1Table-III shows how the input triggers logged in the state registercould be interpreted.

TABLE III LA left arm touch sensor 0 no touch sensed RA right arm touchsensor 1 touch to right arm sensed LL left leg touch sensor 0 no touchsensed RL right leg touch sensor 1 touch to right leg sensed HA headaccelerometer 0 no acceleration sensed CA chest accelerometer 0 noacceleration sensed CP chest pressure sensor 0 no pressure sensed HLhead light sensor 1 change in light intensity sensed

Table-IV shows how the toy states could be represented in the Perlsoftware language.

TABLE IV #! /usr/bin/perl #Rest State representation of registers $la=0;$ra=0; $ll=0; $rl=0; $ha=0; $ca=0; $cp=0; $hl=0; #detecting if a sensoris activated if {$ra = = 1} { print “Right arm touch sensoractivated\n”; #Go to the subroutine for right sensor activated &rightArmSensorActivated ; } else { print “No right arm touch sensordetected\n”; } if {$rl = = 1} { print “Right leg touch sensoractivated\n”; #Go to the subroutine for right leg sensor activated &rightLegSensorActivated ; } else { print “No right leg touch sensordetected\n”; } if {$hl = = 1} { print “Headlight sensor activated\n”; #Go to the headlight sensor activated subroutine &headlightSensorActivated; } else { print “No headlight sensordetected\n”; } sub rightArmSensorActivated; { #perform the necessaryactions after detecting right arm sensor } sub rightLegSensorActivated;{ #perform the necessary actions after detecting right leg sensor } subheadlightSensorActivated; { #perform the necessary actions afterdetecting headlight sensor }

FIG. 5 represents how the states and transitions of a wrestling doll canbe organized into a behavior tree 500. Such is a tool for an engineerand designer to build the electronics and computer programming necessaryfor an implementation of a wrestling doll embodiment of the presentinvention. The circuits and construction methods of FIGS. 1-4 would beuseful for such. An input sensor complement 502 comprises capacitivetouch sensors 504 in the arms and legs, accelerometers 506 in the headand chest, capacitive pressure sensors 508 in the chest, and an ambientlight sensor 510 in the head. For example, these produce statetransitions 511-514, respectively for the left arm, right arm, rightleg, and left leg if the corresponding state register is active, e.g.,“1”, rather than “0”. A second tier of state transitions 521-526 for theright arm, left arm, right leg, and left leg, proceed if two or morelimbs produce active sensor outputs. State transition 528 checks thestates of the head and chest accelerometers 506 for wrestling forcesbeing applied to the doll that would characterise so-called helicopterand backflip actions. If a helicopter action, then state transition 530will occur if the doll is in a spin. A state transition 532 sees thatthe limbs are all released, followed by a state transition 534consistent with an impact of the doll on the ground. The doll would thenproduce a sound output recognizing to the user that it had suffered ahelicopter throw-down.

If a back flip action, then state transition 536 will occur if the dollis flipped. A state transition 538 sees that the limbs are all released,followed by a state transition 540 consistent with an impact of the dollon the ground. The doll would then produce a sound output recognizing tothe user that it had suffered a back-flip throw-down.

But, if a back flip action produced a state transition 544 immediatelyfollowed by a state transition 546 consistent with an impact of the dollon the ground, then a state transition 548 for chest pressure, then astate transition 550 for a release of chest pressure, and then a statetransition 552 for a release of the limbs, then the doll should producea sound output recognizing to the user that it had suffered a body slamthrow-down.

A state transition 554 recognizes from the accelerometers 506 that apile driver state 556 has occurred, and when that is followed by anaccelerometer reading consistent with an impact of the doll on theground, then the doll should produce a sound output recognizing to theuser that it had suffered a pile-driver throw-down.

Sensor readings from the limbs are not involved in the doll recognizingdog pile and sleeper wrestling moves. A state transition 560 istriggered by head and chest accelerometers 506. If a prone state 562exists, followed by a chest pressure state transition 564 and then arelease of pressure state transition 566, then the doll should produce asound output recognizing to the user that it had been dog-piled.

In a sleeper wrestling hold, a state transition 570 will be triggeredwhen the ambient light sensor 510 indicates the dolls head is beingcovered. A state transition 572 is triggered by head and chestaccelerometers 506 for a bent-neck state 574. If that is followed by ahold state 576, then the doll should produce a sound output recognizingto the user that it been put to sleep, e.g., a snore.

The designs, circuits, and methods of FIGS. 1-5 can all be usefullyemployed in making a toy tiger that would be fun for a child to playwith. Table-V represents exemplary mechanical and interactive playcharacteristics that can be associated with a toy tiger.

TABLE V Trigger Transition State Mechanical Characteristics activebutton pressed returns to rest state rest state head straight if notalready in there limbs straight down body horizontal active buttonpressed motors run lying down head straight voice command body loweringfront legs forward legs spreading hind legs backward body horizontal

Table-VI summarizes the electronic characteristics of a toy tiger.

TABLE VI Trigger Transition State Electronic Characteristics activebutton pressed returns to rest state rest state motor drivers off if notalready in there voice inputs active: waiting for next command voiceoutputs inactive processor in standby RF link active active buttonpressed motors run lying down motor drivers off voice commandpositioning gyroscope voice inputs active: waiting for next commandrunning voice outputs active: making “purring” sounds processor activeRF link active

Although the present invention has been described in terms of thepresently preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that thedisclosure is not to be interpreted as limiting. Various alterations andmodifications will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the artafter having read the above disclosure. Accordingly, it is intended thatthe appended claims be interpreted as covering all alterations andmodifications as fall within the “true” spirit and scope of theinvention.

1. An interactive toy, comprising: a toy with user inputs andenvironmental inputs, and having output devices for lights, speech,sounds, and limb movements; processor disposed in the toy and providingfor changes in its existing physical state by producing motion, light,speech, or sound output on receiving predefined user and environmentalinputs; and a modular control system that integrates input sensorsembedded in different parts of the body of the toy with the processorand output devices on a single flex circuit, detecting the inputsreceived by the sensors and making the toy interact with the user basedon the nature of received inputs.
 2. The interactive toy of claim 1,further comprising: a sensory register with bits that correspond to saiduser inputs and environmental inputs, and machine readable by theprocessor.
 3. The interactive toy of claim 1, further comprising: anevent register with bits that correspond to said output devices, andmachine accessible by the processor.
 4. The interactive toy of claim 1,further comprising: a sensory register with bits that correspond to saiduser inputs and environmental inputs, and machine readable by theprocessor; an event register with bits that correspond to said outputdevices, and machine accessible by the processor; and a set ofalgorithms included in executable memory accessible by the processor andproviding for a scripted translation of sensory register bit states toevent register bit states.
 5. A wrestling doll, comprising: a doll body;and a modular control system disposed within the doll body and includinginput sensors, a processor, an executable program, and output devicesfor interacting with a user, and all disposed on a single flexiblecircuit substrate with limb elongations; wherein said input sensors aredisposed in different locations of the doll body and which can beactivated by said user when a corresponding part of the doll body isgrabbed, touched, or spoken to; wherein, said output devices are able tomake sounds and move the doll body to imitate wrestling moves dependenton signals received from said input sensors.
 6. The wrestling doll ofclaim 5, wherein: said executable program recognizes wrestling movesthat include pile driver, sleeper, helicopter, back-flip, and body slamholds and take-downs applied by a user to the doll body.
 7. Thewrestling doll of claim 5, further comprising: a software program whencompiled into said executable program allows a designer to define howreadings from said input sensors are to be combined and interpreted toproduce scripted responses of the doll through the output devices. 8.The wrestling doll of claim 5, further comprising: a set of touchsensors disposed in the arms and legs of the doll.
 9. The wrestling dollof claim 5, further comprising: at least one accelerometer disposed inthe head and chest of the doll to measure orientations, movements,impacts, and spins applied to the doll.
 10. A modular control system,comprising: a plurality of sensory functions and power sources on asingle flex substrate for installation inside building blocks, actionfigures, cars, trucks, and other toys, and providing for userinteraction according to a sequence of automated computer commandsembedded in a program that directs execution of a specific procedurecoded by a script.
 11. The modular control system of claim 10, furthercomprising: user input sensors to detect touch and/or pressure.
 12. Themodular control system of claim 10, further comprising: environmentalinput sensors to detect ambient light and/or acceleration.
 13. Themodular control system of claim 10, further comprising: algorithms thataffect said sequence of automated computer commands embedded in saidprogram to direct the execution of procedures that appear to impart apersonality to said building blocks, action figures, cars, trucks, andother toys.
 14. The modular control system of claim 10, furthercomprising: electronic, software, and mechanical descriptors formodeling particular sensory functions and modules.
 15. A method forconstructing an interactive behavior for an electro-mechanical toy withits user, comprises: scrutinizing and partitioning an intendedinteractive behavior of a toy into a sequence of states inter-connectedby transitions; wherein, signals generated by user and environmentalinput devices included within the toy trigger said transitions betweensaid states according to scripts.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein:said scripts are themselves comprised of a sequence of states.
 17. Themethod of claim 15, further comprising: collecting and interpretinginput data obtained from said user and environmental input devices withelectronic devices disposed within said toy.
 18. The method of claim 15,further comprising: parsing each state in said sequence of states, andany events leading to them, into a software language using a computerprogramming syntax, wherein a complete interactive behavior of said toyis semantically constructed in a software language to ultimately produceprogram code executable by a microcontroller physically disposed withinsaid toy.
 19. The method of claim 15, further comprising: parsing eachstate in said sequence of states, and any events leading to them, into asoftware language using a computer programming syntax, wherein acomplete interactive behavior of said toy is modeled electronically ormechanically.